Papercuts
by OnceUponASomeday
Summary: Season 2 stuff...Rayna and Deacon, as always.
1. Chapter 1

**A little kickstarter chapter...for now...**

'You should have heard them, Tandy. They sounded so good together I almost had to leave the room.'

'Where are the girls now?'

'They're staying with Deacon tonight, I dropped them back there a couple of hours ago. I thought it would be best, Teddy needs to get a good night's sleep and the girls could use a little distraction - it's been a rough few days.'

Rayna poured boiling water into the two mugs she'd set on the side, the kitchen dark but for a couple of under-cabinet lights. They talked quietly, partly so they didn't wake Teddy, partly because of the strange, muted air that had loomed over the house since Rayna had brought him back to it and washed the blood from his clothes and the hospital smell from his hair. It had been less than a week since she'd seen Peggy's lifeless form being wheeled into the back of a coroner's van, and she'd been having trouble sleeping herself.

'How long do you think Teddy's going to be staying in the spare room?' Tandy asked, picking up the mug Rayna slid towards her.

'As long as he needs to. I've had to give him sleeping pills, he's been having awful nightmares Tandy. I found him pacing the hallway the other night, just shakin' his head over and over. Lord knows how long he'd been there.'

Tandy sighed heavily, eyes firmly on her cup. 'It's good for the girls to be out of here for a little while.'

'Yeah,' Rayna nodded. 'It is.' She eased herself onto a stool and leaned her elbows on the countertop, blowing steam from the top of her tea. 'He needs them, and they want to be here for him, but they're just children, it's been really stressful for them, bein' around all this.' She looked over at her sister, who gave a stilted nod.

'Teddy doesn't mind them being at Deacon's?' she asked, still avoiding eye contact.

'Oh he has bigger fish to fry right now. I thought it might have all made him really possessive over Maddie, you know - someone dies, you want to pull everyone you love closer to you, but,' Rayna shrugged, 'I think he knows Deacon's just tryin' to help.' She rolled a kink out of her shoulders, thinking back to that afternoon, the melody she'd heard still twisting its way around her head. 'That song they wrote, Tandy. It was incredible. Deacon and _Maddie_, writin' songs together.'

Tandy studied her, leaning back against a cupboard and tipping her head to one side.

'So much has changed,' Rayna said quietly, a hint of awe in her voice, picturing him sitting there with both of her girls, singing like their voices were made to blend with each other's. '_So much_.'

'Do you miss him?'

'I think given the awful circumstances Teddy's in at the moment, it would be insensitive of me to even think about missing Deacon.' She picked at a stray crumb, a remnant of Daphne's breakfast, probably. 'But I have to say, everything that's happened these past few days, it's hammered home just how grateful I am to have him in my life at all. People you love can be gone, so easily. I've been painfully reminded of that too many times already this year.'

'Well,' Tandy said, not one to push Rayna back towards Deacon, not that she had ever needed to - the universe seemed to do that all on its own, 'he _is_ in your life, despite everything. And in Maddie's too. Maybe that should tell you a lot.'

Rayna nodded slowly. Maybe it should. Maybe it already did.

#

She heard Daphne before anyone else. It was cold outside, her breath issuing a foggy cloud around her, and she shuffled on her feet, waiting for someone to let her in.

'Mom!' Daphne said, her ponytail bouncing as she pulled the door open.

Teddy had been watching daytime TV when she'd left, in sweats and a T-shirt with a blank look on his face. She'd made him coffee and tucked a blanket around his shoulders, handing him a plate of scrambled eggs and making him promise to eat them. It was concerning, seeing him so listless, not knowing what to do.

Deacon's house, contrastingly, was full of life, and she welcomed the warm air and the sound of music on the stereo when she stepped inside. It seeped into her bones and chased away a little of the chill she'd felt since she'd knelt at Peggy's side and watched her die. It had rattled her, the shock of it all, the way her face had turned grey and horribly, morbidly still. It made Rayna feel ill to think of it, of the horror that had washed over Teddy, of her disbelief that someone had pulled a gun and killed a person, right there in a busy parking lot barely after nightfall.

When she hugged her children in greeting, grateful to see their faces happier, her chest burned in fear of what could have been. A slight turn of events and the innocence of their young lives would have been shattered, their father lying in a hospital morgue instead of Peggy, so soon after they'd very nearly lost their mother. Rayna tightened her arms around Daphne and kissed Maddie's temple, pushing the thought away.

They had no idea what had really happened, of course, and Rayna hadn't told anyone other than Tandy and the police. Teddy hadn't said anything about it, not to her, not to anyone else, but then he hadn't said much at all, the only real break in his silence the press conference he'd had to give the day after that had taken all of his energy and left him a mess.

'Hey,' Deacon said, emerging from the kitchen laden with mugs, and Rayna felt a jump in her stomach, the intensity of her desire to see him heightened in the midst of the turmoil going on around them all.

'Hey yourself,' she said, taking two of them from him before he dropped them, and he smiled at her gratefully. 'One of these for me?' she asked, eyeing frothy cocoa and feeling her mouth water.

'Sure is - we thought you might need a little warmin' up when you got over here. Pretty nasty out there.'

'Well,' Rayna said, wrapping an arm around Maddie, who used the opportunity to pinch a marshmallow from the top of her mother's pile of whipped cream, 'you thought absolutely right - thank you. How's everybody been?'

'We've been baking brownies,' Daphne said, as though the question needed no further answering.

'These two are some impressive chefs Ray,' Deacon said, 'I don't for the life in me know where they got that from.'

He gave her his best cheeky look and she shook her head, settling herself on his couch. The memory of sitting there wearing nothing but his shirt while he strummed his guitar and sang quietly to her flashed involuntarily through her mind and she tried not to think about that night, or any of the nights before it. Now was now, and here he was, perched on the table opposite her with rips in his jeans and warmth on his face.

'We wrote more music,' Maddie told her, sitting down next to her, 'and Deacon taught me some new chords. He's really good Mom.'

'Oh I know he is,' Rayna replied, licking a dollop of cream from her lip, 'why'd you think I stole him all these years?'

'Well,' he said, 'these little ladies are better than both of us Ray. Some serious talent we got on our hands here, that's for sure.'

Rayna watched the girls beam at him, but the joy on Maddie's face faltered after a moment.

'How's dad doing?' she asked, her brow furrowing into a line too deep for her years. They'd been through too much recently, and Rayna felt more protective of them than ever. It wasn't that they were fond of Peggy, not in the least bit, but the finality of death and the sadness they felt for their father had them both out of sorts. She looked around at the guitars on the floor and the dusting of cocoa powder on Daphne's nose and knew she'd been right that Deacon would be good for them.

'He'll be okay sweetie,' she told Maddie, squeezing her hand. 'It'll take some time, but he'll be okay. I thought we might make him a nice dinner tonight, what do you think?'

Maddie nodded, leaning her head on Rayna's shoulder. 'I think that would be good.'

Daphne headed for the kitchen on a hunt for the remnants of their brownies, pulling her sister with her and telling Rayna they'd saved one each for her and for Teddy, and she watched them disappear until she felt Deacon's eyes on her.

'Thanks for having them,' she said, brushing his knee briefly, 'really. It's a big help.'

'Anytime Ray, anythin' I can do you just let me know.' He reached down before she could pull her hand away and closed his fingers over hers, and she saw on his face a shadow of the worry she'd seen the night in the hospital.

She'd been in one of the family rooms, Teddy next to her with his face in his hands, waiting for a doctor to come out and tell them what happened next. Tandy had hurried there as soon as Rayna had called; she'd taken Daphne to a friend's on the way, but Maddie had insisted on being with her father, and Rayna hadn't been able to say no. She'd been in the chair on Teddy's other side, the combined shock in the room palpable, when Deacon's voice had sounded through the open door. He'd been scared, acutely so, and Maddie's head had snapped towards Rayna, Teddy oblivious.

'Rayna Jaymes,' he'd said in a rush, 'is she here? I need you to tell me if she's here.'

'We have no patient by that name sir.'

'She might be under a different name - Wyatt, or Conrad, I don't know. Look can you please just cut the bullshit and tell me if she's here?'

'Sir, you need to calm down,' the receptionist had placated him, to no avail. 'Ms Jaymes isn't a patient here.'

'There was a shootin', I know her ex-husband was involved and a woman was... please just-'

'Deacon,' Rayna had said, hurrying into the corridor.

'Jesus, Ray,' he'd breathed, his eyes closing momentarily, and he'd crossed to her in two strides and pulled her to him roughly. 'Jesus. I thought…'

'It's okay, I'm okay,' she'd shushed him, her arms belatedly wrapping around him. She'd felt numb, stunned. Sick. Deacon had broken the embrace enough to hold her at arm's length, inspecting her for damage and seeing the blood that had dried into her shirt.

'I'm fine, Deacon. It's not my blood.'

'What the hell happened? It's all over the news, the police are after some gunman, they said you'd been seen with Teddy earlier, no one knows what's goin' on Ray.'

Rayna's throat had closed up, the numbness wearing off with every second she'd felt Deacon's familiar hands on her, the reality of the night's events seeping in as she'd looked at his pale face. 'It - it was Peggy,' she'd spluttered, trying to keep herself together. 'Peggy's been shot.'

'Teddy's wife?' Deacon had asked, the realisation that that made more sense hitting him. She could tell he'd reacted in a blind panic, that his first thought had been of her, just like it always was. 'Shit. Is she okay?'

'No, no, she's not okay.' She hadn't needed to say anything else, swallowing down the bile that had threatened to rise.

'Is Maddie here? Is she alright?'

'Maddie's fine, she's with Teddy. He's not doing so good.'

'Shit Ray,' he'd repeated, shaking his head, still not relinquishing his hold on her. He'd pulled her closer again and she'd buried her head in his chest, letting him make her feel safe for a moment, needing him to. A million thoughts had raced through her head, confusion and fear battling for prominence.

'Deacon?' Maddie had said in a small voice, appearing in the doorway. She'd looked from one to the other, clearly aware of Deacon's concern for her mother's safety, and he'd let go of Rayna and held out his arms, kissing the top of Maddie's head when she'd moved towards him, not sure what at all to say.

Everything had changed since that night. The careful distance they'd been keeping from each other while they navigated Deacon's changing relationship with Maddie, their own relationship a very big elephant in a very small room, had been shattered in an instant, snapped back like an elastic band. Since he'd reluctantly left her in the hospital, understanding that Teddy needed her, he'd been calling her every day to ask how everyone was doing, to see how he could help. He asked if he could drop Maddie off at soccer practice, if Daphne had homework, aware that keeping life as normal as possible was best for the girls, that it would help them to be stronger for Teddy while he grieved.

He asked what was happening with Rayna's record, told her about his day just to keep her on the phone longer, and every time he said goodbye she could hear the reticence in his voice. For Rayna's part, she held the phone to her ear and listened to the dial tone whenever he hung up, savouring his every word, replaying their conversation, letting herself indulge in how good it felt to be closer to him again. They weren't supposed to be getting closer, it wasn't supposed to be at all about them, but she could feel the shift, the box creaking open.

It took everything she had not to fling the lid back and dive in headfirst.

She retreated her hand from his, her face soft. 'Thank you, really.'

'How's Teddy holdin' up?' he asked, glancing at the door to the kitchen. They could hear the girls half-heartedly squabbling and Rayna sighed.

'He's not great. He's havin' a hard time gettin' his head around what's happened, but, it's not just that…' She looked towards the door again, trying to decide how much she should say about what she'd seen. A small frown creased his face and she felt an overwhelming need to tell him everything, to let him help her make sense of it, because it made no sense at all.

'The man who shot Peggy…he was there for _Teddy,_ Deacon,' she said in a low voice. 'He walked right up to him and pointed the damn gun at him - I was gettin' into my car, I saw it all. Teddy fought with him, and when the guy fired he missed him and…well.'

'What the hell?' Deacon asked sharply, sitting up straighter and moving unconsciously closer to her.

'I don't know who he was, or why he was there, but it was weird - he just appeared out of nowhere and went straight for him, calm as anything.'

'Why would anyone try to shoot Teddy? I mean I know he's the Mayor and all but he can't have pissed anyone off that badly, can he?'

'I don't know,' Rayna replied, her eyes on him while she considered. 'I don't know what goes on in that office and I wouldn't be sure he's exactly squeaky clean, but... he's _Teddy_, you know? And then there's Tandy, she's been really-'

'Mom, we cut it into a star for you!'

Rayna looked up, her face changing in an instant. 'Well y'all sure know how to make your momma's day. We should probably wrap that up sweethearts, I think it's time we headed home. I've gotta go to a meeting this afternoon, your aunt Tandy's gonna be stayin' with you.'

'Can't _you_ stay with us?' Daphne asked. 'Aunt Tandy doesn't know how dad likes his cereal with just enough milk so that the flaky bits float, and he needs to have his cereal exactly right now he's sad.'

'What's your meetin' about Ray?' Deacon asked, looking at Daphne's upset face as Rayna smoothed her hair back.

'I'm goin' over some track changes with Liam now Jeff isn't up my…face about the record. He's only in town for a few nights so I gotta get it done now.'

Deacon nodded, brushing a hand over his chin. 'Listen,' he said, 'How 'bout I go over there for you? We've talked about the record, I know what you wanna do with it. I can go through it all with Liam.'

Rayna stared at him, surprised. He was right, they had talked about it - she'd stayed on the phone with him a couple of nights before until far later than was probably appropriate, talking while she changed into her pyjamas and crawled into bed, going through every detail about every track, just like they used to do: the ones he'd heard, a couple he hadn't, the ones that felt a little out of place, what she thought just wasn't quite there.

At Daphne's tug on her sleeve and Maddie's quiet, hopeful look, she let out a breath. 'Are you sure Deacon?'

'Sure I'm sure,' he said, nodding decisively. 'Now let's get those brownies to go, huh girls?'


	2. Chapter 2

**So, there's a petition going around to help us get a season 3. I for one am ALL in for that, especially because I am pretty sure a third season = a lot more Rayna and Deacon goodness which can only ever be a good thing. This is the link for anyone else who wants to sign it (with the dots taken out as per the apparent rules!):**

** www dot thepetitionsite dot com/462/965/943/nashville-season-3/**

'So she's not comin' over at all while I'm in town?'

'I wouldn't have thought so, she's really havin' a time of it with Teddy and all. But like I said, I've got it, I know what she wants.' Deacon rolled up his sleeves, a not-so-subtle signal that he was ready to get down to business, and pulled out the notes he'd made with Rayna before she'd taken the girls home.

'I bet you do,' Liam said under his breath, sitting down reluctantly across the table in his industrial apartment.

'What?'

'Nothing man. How is Rayna? Haven't seen her in a while. She only returns my calls when they're about the album.'

'And what else would they be about?' Deacon asked, a little too provocatively. He leaned back in his chair and watched Liam's jaw tense, but he quickly turned it into that smirk he seemed to wear all the time and Deacon wondered what the hell had gone on between him and Rayna, before and after St-Lucia-gate.

'You know - we talk. She confides in me.'

That was almost worse than 'We screwed and I want it again. Could you booty call her for me and turn on the mood lighting on your way out?'

'You talk,' Deacon repeated, trying not to think about whether the screwing part was true, 'right.'

'Look I know you might think we have nothing in common, and I know you think she's too good for me - you're right about that, by the way, she's too good for you too - but we have a connection. Like I said - we talk.' Liam shrugged, but the way he picked at the corner of his notebook moodily gave him away.

Deacon lifted an eyebrow. Liam McGuiness, aloof, cocky Liam McGuiness, had damn well gone and fallen for her. 'Oh, you're fucked,' he said. Liam looked at him and nodded grudgingly, and Deacon laughed, in disbelief rather than amusement. 'Welcome to the club, McGuiness.'

'So you're still…in the club, too?'

'You don't exactly get to revoke your membership. Once you're in, you're in.'

'Great. That's just fucking great. And I don't suppose she's gonna put me out of my misery anytime soon.' Liam sighed, tossing his notebook down. 'So, you, instead of her, coming down here - what does that mean?'

'It means I'm helpin' her out, that's what it means.'

'That all?'

'Yeah, that's all.'

'Then we better get to it.' Liam screeched the legs of his chair on the slate floor as he pulled himself closer to the table and picked up the stereo remote.

/

Two hours and three pots of coffee later, Liam groaned, stretching his hands out above his head and cracking his knuckles.

'I can't just pull something out of my ass. If she thinks there's a disconnect in the middle here, we're gonna have to re-think some of the sound. Or go right back to the drawing board and, I don't know, get some new tracks together to sew this thing up.'

'She isn't happy with the sound as a whole body of work, she doesn't think it's commercial enough. And I gotta say - it's a damn good album, but I think she's right.'

Deacon circled his neck from one side to the other, a little popping sound making him wince. Rayna had called three times, asking how it was going and offering input while the kettle hissed and Daphne chattered in the background. Liam had looked at him hopefully the first time and had eagerly taken the phone when she'd asked to speak to him, his casual tone faltering as he had.

'Deacon doesn't quite have the charm you do,' he'd said in response to her no doubt asking how they were getting on, and Deacon had watched as he'd turned away and adopted a boyish, playful tone with her, picking at a loose thread in his jeans and grinning slackly while he talked.

They'd played the album start to finish, Deacon making notes with a frown of concentration, Liam less resistant than he'd expected, tapping his fingers against his knee to the various rhythms. The sound system in the apartment was impressive, blasting the music around the room and back at them from the high, exposed brick ceilings, and Deacon had closed his eyes, feeling every beat. Rayna's voice twisted through his ears, and for a moment he'd been overwhelmed with happiness that she was involving him, that even though this was the first album she'd made without him, he was still a part of it.

'I can't believe she's seeing Luke Wheeler,' Liam said suddenly when they were on listen number three to the title track, dropping his pen on the table and hitting pause. Deacon huffed in agreement, trying not to picture Rayna with the jackass.

'Doesn't seem like it's stopped you wantin' to swoop on in,' he said.

'Hasn't stopped you either,' Liam challenged, watching Deacon's reaction closely. If he wanted clues, it wouldn't do him any good to get them. Deacon didn't know himself where to start on picking apart the flood of feelings that appeared whenever he thought about Rayna with Luke, and he wasn't about to start discussing the issue with this guy and his 100% cotton neckwear.

'I'm not swoopin' in anywhere. I'm seein' someone. Rayna and I are friends, s'all.'

Liam laughed soundlessly. 'Right, because you and Rayna have ever just been _friends_.'

Deacon frowned, but he didn't protest it - partly because Liam was right, and partly because he wasn't sure he'd be able to find the conviction to convince even himself that they were 'just friends'.

'Luke Wheeler's an ass,' he said instead.

'You're preaching to the converted there. I don't trust that guy as far as I could throw his dumb cowboy hat. I mean what the hell is Rayna doing with him?'

'I don't know,' Deacon admitted, torn between letting rip with his own disbelief at Rayna's choice of man and keeping quiet for the sake of decency towards her. Luke Wheeler had been sniffing around Rayna since they were all little more than kids, and never would Deacon have thought she'd one day end up giving in to his less than subtle advances. He'd given her more credit than that, but since he'd found out she was seeing Luke, he hadn't said anything, respecting that they were doing this figuring-their-own-shit-out thing, where relationships were concerned, at least.

'He isn't her type,' Liam said, disgruntled. 'He's so… showy. All that "wheels up" crap? Come on man - what a dick. She's got more class than that - I mean she was with you for how long? And I know you shit all over my trip to St Lucia with her, and I might've taken that signed disc of yours I had down off my mantelpiece, but I can see what she saw in you.'

Deacon shifted awkwardly in his chair, not sure whether to feel flattered. 'Well… thanks.' He cleared his throat and peered at Liam. 'Did you really have a signed disc of mine?'

Liam waved a hand in the air and coughed gruffly. 'I mean not on my _mantelpiece_, but...'

'Right.'

'I sure as hell don't have any signed Luke Wheeler crap.'

'What do you think she sees in him?'

'Big dick?'

'I've taken a leak next to the guy more times than I care to remember, and I can say for damn sure - that's not it.'

Liam, despite himself, grinned. 'I knew those fast cars were a cover up for something.'

'Got that right. Think it's the hat?'

'Oh come on, any guy can wear a _hat_, it's not the hat…' He paused for a moment, mulling something over with a grimace. 'Think he keeps it on in bed?'

Deacon winced. 'I'd rather not think about Luke fuckin' Wheeler anywhere near Rayna's bed, hat or no hat.'

'Well what the fuck else could it be he's got going for him?'

They lapsed into silence, considering.

'S'pose he's got shiny hair,' Deacon said after a minute.

'Don't I have shiny hair?'

'Actually, yours is shinier.'

'Thanks man - I deep condition, you know?'

'Sure, it shows, I mean, you know.' Deacon looked him over, leaning an elbow on the back of his chair. Liam really _did_ have good hair. Some impressive stuff on the face too. Maybe _he_ should grow a little more facial hair... 'Hey, buddy… Where d'you get your scarves from?'

#

'So Liam didn't mind me not being there?'

'Actually Ray, we got a lot done, had a good chat.'

Rayna stared at Deacon. 'You… and Liam,' she said, drawing the words out, 'had a good chat. About what exactly?'

'You know, stuff. The album, we covered the whole album. He's all good with the changes.'

'He is? Even taking out the riff in the middle of Going Down?'

'Even that.'

Rayna folded her arms and leaned against her kitchen counter, perplexed. 'Maybe I should get you to go to all my meetings, you're obviously better at them than I am.'

'Well, what can I say?' Deacon winked at her, shoving his hands in his pockets and rocking on the balls of his feet. 'Seems me an' Liam got more in common than I thought.'

'Oh? And what might that be?'

He gave her an odd look, his eyes raking over her inquisitively. It wasn't his jealous look, she knew that, but she wondered what on earth Liam had told him all the same and unconsciously pulled her arms a little tighter around herself.

'Nothin'. Seems you've made quite the impression on him though.'

'On Liam?'

Deacon nodded slowly. 'On Liam, on everyone else, yeah,' he said, his eyes on her a second too long.

'Well,' Rayna said, knowing he wasn't going to give her anything but cryptic half-answers as to what he was talking about, 'thank you for going over there for me, Deacon. I really appreciate it. The girls too, they're pretty shaken right now, it helped me bein' able to be at home with them today.'

'Not a problem, you know that. The girls need their mama - and you can make anythin' better, Ray.'

She smiled at him, catching herself as the smallest twist in her stomach threatened to swell, and turning away, reaching for the kettle. 'Can I get you some tea?'

Deacon stood up straighter. 'Actually I gotta get goin', I got dinner plans.' He shifted awkwardly, avoiding her gaze.

She tried to sound interested and not at all disappointed when she replied, 'Oh, Megan?'

'Yeah.' He picked up his bag and headed for the door, waving a hand at her stiffly and wondering why the hell he'd done it, but the sad tinge beneath her smile stopped him as he reached for the handle, and he took a couple of steps back towards her, hovering under the archway between the kitchen and the hall. 'Um…'

'What is it Deacon?' Rayna looked at him, her head cocked to one side. He loved when she did that; he had no idea why but it tugged at his chest - the lift of her eyebrows, the patient purse of her lips.

'I been thinkin'… this album, it's great, _really_ great, and we can make those changes no problem. But I think it needs…'

'A little somethin' else, huh?' He nodded, and she did too. 'I've been thinkin' the same thing, playin' about with the existing tracks just isn't gonna do it. Actually, I was wonderin' if maybe you might…' She gestured a little too emphatically, and he knew she was nervous to finish her question, so he finished it for her.

'Write with you?'

'Yeah,' she said, beaming at him. 'I was wonderin' if you might write with me Deacon.'

#

There had been pizza crumbs all over the floor, under Deacon's legs and scattered around Rayna like he'd marked his territory with stuffed crust and splashes of pepperoni grease. She'd warned him not to get too close while he'd been shoving slice after slice in his mouth, but he'd ass-shuffled towards her and leaned in to add to some of her lyrics anyway, and she'd enjoyed the familiarity of it too much to send him packing.

She hit the brakes at a stop light on her way home from his house and let her forehead drop onto the steering wheel, groaning loudly. If she was honest with herself, she'd enjoyed more than just the familiarity. She'd enjoyed the way he smelled of the cologne she used to buy him for his birthday, how the corners of his eyes did that Deacon-thing when he was trying not to laugh.

She'd more than enjoyed the way he'd looked at her when he'd sung the words they'd played about with until they'd got them just right - it was true, what he said, it did feel like yesterday. All apart from the unnatural feeling of resistance - resisting leaning over to kiss him, resisting licking the rogue crumb from his stubble and maybe climbing on him and sucking on his bottom lip just to make sure the job was done. If it had really been yesterday her shirt wouldn't have made it to the second verse.

It was so easy to be right back there after so long. It had been more than fifteen years since they'd written together, and yet the lyrics, the melodies, all of it had flowed so freely it would have been startling, if it wasn't so very them. It had hit Rayna somewhere around 'My ass is numb, throw me that cushion,' and 'Thin crust or regular?' that it didn't matter what happened, that chemistry between them was an entity entirely of its own. They could fuck each other and themselves up beyond belief and still, there it was, trying to pull them together. Their attraction was indiscriminate, it knew no secrets or addictions, it cared nothing for harsh words or the tears they'd made each other cry.

Megan walking in had probably been a good thing. It hadn't felt like it, and the unsatisfied knots in Rayna's stomach told her it didn't exactly feel like it now, either, but it was. It wouldn't, she tried to convince herself, be at all wise to linger on what would have happened if Megan hadn't chosen her moment so well - five minutes later and it would have been a very different story.

They were only ever five dangerous little minutes from slipping up. They both knew it; it was why they'd been so careful since the accident not to spend time around each other without other people there, or in a public place where there was safety in numbers and watchful eyes.

And yet they'd managed, for a whole afternoon and a whole song, behind closed doors in an empty house full of memories of breathless sex and affirmations of love, to keep their hands to themselves - it was quite the achievement, really. The undercurrent was there from the moment Rayna had walked in the door, but they'd managed to keep it at arm's length, at least until the last notes had rung through the room and he'd lowered his guitar, and then everything had gone a little soft focus. The pit of Rayna's stomach had felt like she'd swallowed a giant handful of popping candy - five more minutes and she would not be sitting in her SUV on her way to spend too long in the shower.

The car behind blasted its horn and she looked up to see the traffic light on green. It was a damn good song. She hadn't meant to tell him that quite so suggestively as she'd sauntered past him to leave, but it was true - it was a _damn_ good song.

They made some sweet music together, the two of them. Some things just never changed.

'Fuck.'

#

**A/N: **

**Rayna and Deacon writing together was done so perfectly on the show that I didn't want to touch it in detail here. Sooo, instead, in collaboration with my dear friend Anlgsp, an alternative version of Rayna-and-Deacon-write-and-generally-start-eyeball-sex-forest-fires (separate to the continuing narrative of this story), will be posted in the next few days…. And that we did touch. Starting with banishing The Worst Timing Ever Award Goes to Megan, and finishing with a lot less of Rayna's pretty purple blouse, which looks much better on Deacon's floor. **


End file.
